Practical Information

Boasting stunning beaches and breathtaking view, Hiroshima's natural beauty will simply fascinate you. Known for serving sumptuous Japanese cuisine, this city is home to several professional and non-professional sports team. Ancient attractions and landmarks are tucked in every corner of the city. Some of the major tourist attractions of this city include Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Next to the Peace Memorial Museum, at the south end of the International Peace Park, the Lounge and Library is an excellent place to learn about tours, classes, volunteering, and other opportunities to experience grass roots Hiroshima. Check information boards in the first floor lounge. Books, magazines, newspapers, videos and other multi-media materials, mostly in English but also French, German, Spanish, Korean and Chinese, are available on-site. The third floor lending library stocks an excellent selection of books on Japan, learning the Japanese language, and novels, again mostly in English. To borrow books you will need to prove local residency, but the library is open for all to browse and read in this quiet, under-utilized corner of Hiroshima's main tourist site

Hiroshima Station is the terminus for Shinkansen and regular JR trains, and most of the streetcar lines, as well as a stop on the city bus routes. Not surprisingly, you can always find a taxi at either of its two exits. Hiroshima's JR station is on the south side of the tracks. A tourist center dispenses English maps and advice. To find lockers, exit the south gate and turn left. The Shinkansen station is joined to the JR station via an underground passage. This is also the place to find sightseeing taxis, and buses to the San-in coast.

You can find almost anything in a Japanese department store, and in Hiroshima that includes a bus terminal. Maps and timetables can be daunting to the non-Japanese reader, and little help in English appears to be available. Fellow travelers can, however, be extremely friendly, so don't be afraid to ask for help. Bus company timetables,fares and contact info are also available online. Tickets are available from agents and vending machines located on the 3rd floor. Buses to Hiroshima International Airport take less than an hour and cost 1,300 yen one way.

Baseball is very popular in Japan, and Hiroshima Carp fans are loud and proud, as you can see any game day. This beautiful stadium seats 32,000. Advance and game-day tickets are on sale at the ballpark's south-side office, facing Motomachi. Sales are cash only.

Summer in Hiroshima gets hot and sticky. Fortunately, there is an outdoor public swimming pool to cool off in, and it is reasonably close to the Peace Memorial Park and Hondori. The pool complex features swimming and play areas to accommodate the crowds, as well as water slides just for the fun of it. This pool is conveniently located near the Science and Culture Museum for Children's planetarium dome.

This is the main prefectural facility for indoor sporting events, built about a decade ago, and it is also used as a venue for concerts and festivals. The facilities include rooms for traditional Japanese sports as well as courts for team sports. Within the complex there is also a training room and swimming pool. There is an entry fee for either the gym or pool, or you can buy an 11-visit concession ticket. There is also a computerized rock-climbing practice wall, and full fitness-testing facilities available for both individuals and teams.

Though Hiroshima is a place best traveled on foot, public means of transport can be of great help when traveling from one corner to the other of the city. Hiroshima has various means of passenger transport, the extensive being streetcar systems or Trams. However, a decent number of Taxi services are also available, one such is the Hiroshima Taxi Co., Ltd. They provide a safe and economic means of local transport around the town. So when you are in a hurry simply call for a taxi instead of waiting for the trams.

Traveling in Hiroshima is not much of a trouble as most means of public transport are easily accessible but with a little period of wait. However if you don't have the time to wait then call for a cab which will easily drop you anywhere around the city. Ebisu Taxi services do just the same and take you to your destination for a modest fare. Providing a quicker and comfortable transportation around town, one only needs to call in order to avail of their services.

Situated in the heart of Hiroshima Prefecture, Higashihiroshima is a scenic city surrounded by forest hills, coastal vistas and rustic lands. With a history dating back to the Medieval Period, you will find the Mitsujo Burial Bound and the Aki Domain Provincial Temple built during that era quite fascinating. Its 'Brewery Street' is one the prominent attractions as Higashihiroshima is renowned for its sake. Offering walking tours, visitors can taste the many varieties of sake made here. These eight breweries are a sight to behold with their brick chimneys and black and white check walls. Equally noteworthy is the city's annual Sake Festival where one can sample more than 900 types of this famous brew made all over Japan.